Johann Gottfried von Herder (1744-1803) regarded language as source
and field of development of human
cogitation. An establishment of the
society can be done by its power. It
is needed to pursue researches or to
develop «ideas of mind». It forms the
character, strengthens the belief, arouses politeness and sympathy. At
the same time it is the language of
memory and ensures every cultural
community. Within the human ability
to speak the imagination that man
was created in God's image becomes
obvious. Man does have the ability
to produce sounds like other crea-
tures, but only he is able to form
words and sentences by himself. Only
the «work of God, the human soul»,
which is «the image of His being»,
can «create and develop language»
simply by being aware of the Creation. Its power lets us comprehend
things makes the world subdued.
Herder thought language was evoked
by emotional condition. He recognized that its genesis was not uninfluenced by its surroundings.
Concrete sceneries contribute to
the development. People with the
same geographic position feature
identicalness when it comes to
feeling and congruence in speech.
Thus Herder found a definition
for «people» and consequently
believed in the existence of
such a thing as a «people’s
soul». The national conditions of
existence could not be guaranteed
by politics which use «violence,
war and fraud». Also the contract
concluded with diplomacy would
not improve the situation; the
emotional bond must be aroused.